A warped, sexist and racially inspired narrative
A number of newspapers have been reporting on the matter between Services Sector Education and Training Authority (SSETA) and others against the Minister of Higher Education and Training.
It is interesting how the Services SETA matter has been reported in the media. Of particular interest is the way one CHRIS BARRON of the Sunday Times, Apr 29, 2011 reported it. Dr Sihle Moon who has an impressive professional profile is only reported as an ANC aligned former researcher and Ms Nolwandle Mantashe is only reported as the wife of Gwede Mantashe, the General Secretary of the ANC.
Some media reporting around the fracas in the Services SETA conforms to a steadily evolving consensus in some sections of South African society that on questions of morality, there is a simple dividing line: black incompetence vs white excellence; black sleaze vs white honesty; black illiteracy vs white literacy; black guilt vs white innocence - and so it goes.
So ingrained and acceptable has this characterisation become that no one bothers to contest it any more. Add to this, a black person's associations with the liberation movement for freedom (no matter how innocuous), then you have a lethal mix of racial prejudice tinged with professional devaluation.
How else one explains the carefully constructed narratives with extremely backward racial undertones, sold by some journalists. The narrative goes something like this:
Ivor Blumenthal, a white administrator, well educated at Wits and other institutions, in charge of a highly successful SETA, highly competent and extremely honest and ethical - is being targeted by the black government, precisely for these attributes.
Mr. Ivor Blumenthal (the "former" CEO of Services SETA) is removed from his position by a new Chairperson, who goes on to take over the running of the Services SETA as administrator. All the readers get to know about this administrator is that he is black and has associations with the ANC - both cardinal sins.
In their blind hatred and prejudice, some of our so-called journalists completely lose sight of the primacy of the need for factual reporting, being informative, balanced, fair and objective.
If Chris Barron insists on setting out the academic and professional achievements of Ivor Blumenthal, does it not follow that these must be counter balanced with those of Sihle Moon - who is merely portrayed as an incompetent and illiterate black - whose only claim to fame is his association with the ANC and SACP.
A cursory internet search in fact reveals that Dr. Moon defies the stereotype. Like Blumenthal he spent a bit of time in institutions of higher learning. The result is a BA degree from UCT, a Masters degree from the University of York (public administration and public policy) and a PhD from the University of York, UK.
Similarly regarding Ms Nolwandle Mantashe, the internet reveals that she holds BA (Hons), Business Management Programme (Wits Business School) and she also serves on some Boards like Mvelaserve. There is a further indication that she is currently a Transformation Executive at Pretoria Portland Cement Ltd. Isn't this enough proof that she is a professional in her own right?
Clearly this is a person who exists and acts in her own right with a public professional life, competent or otherwise. For a country committed to transformation and gender justice, this sexist and racist approach is certainly not on.
Is it not the task of any self-respecting journalist to ask and/or research such basic information? Is this not the very essence of fair, balanced and objective journalism?
Should skin colour and ANC membership qualify South Africans to the status of pariahs?
Given our difficult, racially explosive history and our struggle for gender equity, one would expect our journalists to be ever so circumspect in the value judgements they attach to individual South African. The internet has made things easy for anyone who cares to find out more in an instant.
Apart from an extensive self-promotion campaign, what is the basis of this supposed excellence, indeed, what informs the implied honesty and ethical conduct - when there are numerous allegations of rampant conflict of interest. Blumenthal's preferred council chairperson - Beverly Jack - is known to be the beneficiary of countless contracts from the Services SETA (whilst she remains on the Services SETA Board). Patronage is rumoured to be widespread in the Services SETA.
Unfortunately, this angle does not fit the racially and sexist defined narrative, so - it will never see the light of day from some of those journalists who are reporting on the Services SETA. Quite how Mr. Blumenthal manages to coax and coerce some of these journalists and by extension our country - into buying into his narrative leaves one dumbstruck.
But not to despair, one day the true story of the Services SETA will be revealed and I suspect, this will turn the current racial and sexist narrative on its head. From the credentials of Dr Sihle Moon and Ms Nolwandle Mantashe publicly available, it is very clear that their skills and abilities cannot be questionable or reduced to just a former ANC researcher and the wife of the ANC Secretary General.
The public deserves more from the media than what has appeared thus far regarding the Services SETA case.
Lumko Mtimde is the CEO of the MDDA and a Board member of MICT Seta. This article first appeared in ANC Today, the weekly online newsletter of the African National Congress.
Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter
